WOMENS BASKETBALL

South Carolina 74, Tennessee 73

ASSOCIATED PRESS

GREENVILLE, S.C. - Kamilla Cardoso banked in her first-ever 3-pointer at the buzzer and rescued No. 1 South Carolina’s perfect season with a 74-73 victory over Tennessee at the Southeastern Conference Tournament semifinals.

The Gamecocks (31-0) had blown a 23-point lead and trailed the Lady Vols (19-12) 73-71 with 1.1 seconds left. But Raven Johnson’s pass found an open Cardoso at the top of the key and the team’s leading scorer and rebounder calmly shot it off glass and in.

Cardoso was mobbed by her joyous teammates as the large South Carolina crowd — the campus is only about a 100-mile drive from the Greenville arena — cheered in celebration.

Cardoso was playing in front of her mom and sister who came up from Brazil to celebrate senior day with her last weekend. This week was their first chance to see her play in person since she left the country at age 15.

South Carolina athletics press release

March 9, 2024